1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting structure of a door window glass weatherstrip provided along a belt line of a vehicle door, and more particularly of a door window glass inner weatherstrip.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-82128, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 3, a glass run 4 is mounted along an inner circumference of a window frame 3 of a vehicle door 1, and a door window glass weatherstrip 5 is mounted along a door belt line 20, whereby a seal is provided between a window opening in the door 1 and a door window glass 9.
The door window glass weatherstrip 5 comprises a door glass inner weatherstrip mounted along an upper edge of a door inner panel of a door main body and a door glass outer weatherstrip mounted along an upper edge of a door outer panel, and the door window glass 9 is designed to be resiliently held from inner and outer surfaces thereof by seal lips extending from confronting side surfaces of the two weatherstrips therebetween.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (only a rear end portion of a door window glass inner weatherstrip 5A is shown), the door window glass inner weatherstrip 5A comprises a mounting base portion 51 and upper and lower seal lips 52, 53. Note, however, that there exists a case where only a single seal lip is provided. The glass run 4 comprises seal lips 41, 42 for holding a circumferential portion of the door window glass 9 from inner and outer surfaces thereof. Then, the inner weatherstrip 5A is mounted in such a manner that front and rear terminal ends thereof attach to front and rear vertical portions 4A, 4B of the glass run 4. In FIG. 4, reference numerical 2A denotes a door inner panel and reference numeral 21 denotes a door interior trim.
However, the door window glass weatherstrip 5 is cut slightly shorter than a longitudinal space between the front and rear vertical portions of the glass run 4 in consideration of scattering or variation of the length of the longitudinal space and workability in mounting the same within the space. This inevitably produces gaps at the front and rear end portions of the inner weatherstrip 5A to which the vertical portions of the glass run 4 are attached.
On the other hand, while the vehicle is running, tire noise and other exterior noise enter into a space formed in the door main body 2 from a drainage hole formed in a lower end of the door main body, gaps at a movable portion of an outside door handle and the like. The noise further enters into the passenger compartment of the vehicle from the gaps formed at the front and rear end portions of the inner weatherstrip 5A, causing interior noise.
The present invention was made with a view to preventing the penetration of noise into the passenger compartment which is inconsonant to the ears of occupants of the vehicle.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting structure of a vehicle door window glass inner weatherstrip adapted to be mounted on a door inner panel along an upper edge thereof, the door window glass inner weatherstrip comprising a mounting base portion and seal lips which resiliently contact an inner surface of a door window glass being mounted in such a manner as to be attached at front and rear terminal ends thereof to front and rear vertical portions of a glass run mounted along an inner circumference of a door window frame, respectively, the mounting structure being characterized in that a positioning means is provided in the door window glass inner weatherstrip and the upper edge of the door inner panel the constituent components of which positioning means are brought into engagement with each other at such a position that the rear terminal end of the window glass inner weatherstrip is allowed to be brought into abutment with the rear vertical portion of the glass run.
The first aspect of the invention was contrived in consideration of the fact that noise mainly penetrating into the passenger compartment from the gap at the rear end of the door window glass inner weatherstrip which is close to the ear of the occupant becomes inconsonant to the ear of the occupant, and the rear terminal end of the door window glass inner weatherstrip and the glass run are brought into abutment with each other with no gap being produced therebetween by mounting the door window glass inner weatherstrip using the positioning means as a positional reference.
Additionally, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting structure of a vehicle door window glass inner weatherstrip adapted to be mounted on a door inner panel along an upper edge thereof, the door window glass inner weatherstrip comprising a mounting base portion and seal lips which resiliently contact an inner surface of a door window glass being mounted in such a manner as to be attached at front and rear terminal ends thereof to front and rear vertical portions of a glass run mounted along an inner circumference of a door window frame, respectively, the mounting structure being characterized in that the mounting base portion is formed so as to extend and contract by constructing a core member embedded in the mounting base portion extendable and contractible or separable, that a first positioning means is provided in the door window glass inner weatherstrip and the upper edge of the door inner panel at front ends thereof, respectively, the constituent components of which first positioning means are brought into engagement with each other at such a position that the front terminal end of the door window glass inner weatherstrip is brought into abutment with the front vertical portion of the glass run, and that a second positioning means is provided in the door window glass inner weatherstrip and the upper edge of the door inner panel at rear ends thereof, respectively, the constituent components of the second positioning means are brought into engagement with each other at such a position that the rear terminal end of the door window glass inner weatherstrip is brought into abutment with the rear vertical portion of the glass run.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the front and rear terminal ends of the door window glass inner weatherstrip come to abutment with the front and rear vertical portions of the glass run with no gap being produced therebetween by bringing the constituent components of the respective two positioning means into engagement with each other, whereby the penetration of exterior noise into the passenger compartment through the space of the door main body is prevented. In this case, a gap between the longitudinal space between the vertical portions of the glass run and the length of the door window glass inner weatherstrip is adjusted by allowing the mounting base portion of the door window glass inner weatherstrip to extend together with the core member.
Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, a mounting structure of a vehicle door window glass inner weatherstrip as described above, the positioning means comprises further a positioning projection provided on the door window glass inner weatherstrip at a predetermined distance away from the rear terminal end of the door window glass inner weatherstrip, a noise insulating lip integrally formed on the glass run, wherein the positioning projection and the noise insulating lip are brought into abutment with each other.
Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, a mounting structure of a vehicle door window glass inner weatherstrip as described above, wherein the rear terminal end of the door window glass inner weatherstrip has a surface matching to exterior shape of the glass run, allowing the door window glass inner weatherstrip to be brought into abutment with the glass run without forming gap.